LEAF Festival facts for kids

LEAF from above

The LEAF Festival is a super fun event that celebrates arts and culture! It's put on by LEAF Community Arts, which is a non-profit group. Their main goal is to bring people together and make lives better through art. They do this with festivals, special events, and cool educational programs.

When LEAF started in 1995, its name stood for "Lake Eden Arts Festival." But over time, it grew and changed. Now, it's simply known as LEAF Community Arts, or just "LEAF." This group has several awesome programs. These include the LEAF Festival itself, LEAF Schools & Streets, LEAF International, LEAF Downtown AVL, and LEAF Local.

About the LEAF Festival

Since 1995, the LEAF Festival has happened twice a year. It takes place in Black Mountain, North Carolina. This festival is known as one of the best in the southeastern United States! In 2001, The Washington Post even called it "The best cultural Mix and Match Festival in the nation."

The festival is packed with exciting things to do. You can enjoy music from all over the world and from local artists. There are amazing handmade crafts, lively dancing, and delicious food. Kids have tons of activities just for them. You can also try outdoor adventures like drum circles, a zipline, and canoeing!

The Festival's Special Home

The LEAF Festival is held at Lake Eden Events and Camp Rockmont for Boys. This place has a really interesting past!

Black Mountain College Days

Before it became a camp, in the 1940s, this land was home to the famous Black Mountain College (BMC). Many of the most celebrated artists and thinkers of that century came here. They were either teachers or students! Imagine learning from people like Albert Einstein, Robert Rauschenberg, Anni Albers, and Merce Cunningham. Even Buckminster Fuller, who designed the first geodesic dome, was here!

Early History of Lake Eden

Even before Black Mountain College, in the early 1900s, a man named Edwin Wiley Grove owned the land. He was also known for building the The Omni Grove Park Inn and Grove Arcade. Grove built some of the buildings at Lake Eden with his special native stone fireplaces. Before Grove, the Lake Eden Inn and Resort was a popular getaway. People came there to enjoy its "healing waters" and fresh, "rejuvenating air."

LEAF in Schools & Streets

LEAF in Schools & Streets is another great program from LEAF Community Arts. It's a non-profit outreach program that brings talented artists right to schools and community centers. These artists offer hands-on workshops, longer visits, and fun, interactive performances.

This program gives young people an amazing chance. They get to perform alongside professional artists on a big stage! Their family members can even be in the audience to cheer them on. Kids in the program get to experience many different things. They participate in workshops, watch performances, and meet the artists. Plus, they get to enjoy a special festival adventure!

In 2020, because of world events, both LEAF festivals happened online.

Notable Performers

Many incredible artists have performed at the LEAF Festival over the years. Here are just some of them: